These impressive custom home theaters will inspire you, fill you with envy

Need a little inspiration for that home theater project you’ve been thinking about? This should do the trick. From the simple and understated, to the fanciest themed rooms, these home theaters all bring something special to the table. If you want to build the perfect homage to your favorite sci-fi series, or your favorite superhero flick, or something totally original, it won’t be easy, or cheap. But when you dim the lights for the first time and fire up the system, it will be worth all the effort.

There are a lot of different options for designing your home theater, and not all of them just involve couches in a rectangular room. Some people have laid theirs out as game rooms, with pool tables and golf simulators. Others have opted for even less traditional designs, with full bar setups or poker tables around a set of TVs. If you watch mostly sports, you can set up several smaller screens around a pool table, or place them in a row over a full bar for an unforgettable experience that will ensure your friends always watch the game at your place.

There’s a lot of careful planning that goes into building the perfect home theater for your house, from deciding on a layout and theme, to choosing the right audio and video gear. These pictures should help you develop an aesthetic, and some design ideas, as well as helping you make that crucial decision between a television and a projector screen. But once you’re done with all that, you’ll have a room all your own to impress friends, kick back with family, or just catch up on your streaming. Work hard enough, and you might just find your house on our list.